Mining belt records robust voter turnout

NT NETWORK

Panaji

The assembly constituencies coming under mining areas –Sanguem, Curchorem and Sanvordem in South Goa and Sankhali, Bicholim and Maem in North Goa – witnessed a heavy voter turnout for the Lok Sabha elections held on Tuesday.

Good voter turnout has indicated that mining dependants, who have been affected by the mining closure, came out in large number to cast their votes. In the South Goa parliamentary seat, the Sanvordem assembly constituency recorded 79.80 per cent polling, Curchorem posted 77.19 per cent and Sanguem recorded 78.15 per cent voter turnout.

The Sankhali, Bicholim and Maem assembly segments coming under the North Goa parliamentary constituency also posted record-breaking voting percentage.

The Sankhali constituency, represented by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, recorded 84.86 per cent voting; the Bicholim constituency recorded 81.65 per cent and the Maem constituency recorded 80.57 percent voting.

The Poriem and Valpoi constituencies of Sattari taluka, whose some parts come under the mining belt, also witnessed 77.49 per cent and 78.15 per cent voting respectively.

The voting in the three assembly constituencies of Curchorem, Sanvordem and Sanguem was overall peaceful. Mayem villagers, who are mining dependants, expressed their deep concerns over government’s failure to restart mining.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that people of Goa are educated and are well aware of the reasons for the Modi government to come back to power.

Reacting to the robust voter turnout in the mining belt, Goa Mining People’s Front president Puti Gaonkar said, “We had not boycotted the elections but declared that mining dependants should vote as per their conscience…”

Voters in the mining belt are angry over the closure of the mining industry.